First Year Jitters
by huffleclaw22
Summary: Random idea. Hermione seemed so cool and collected as she entered Hogwarts for the first time, but even the brightest witches of their age get nervous too. ONE-SHOT taking place on the train and during the Sorting Ceremony.


**A/N: This belongs to JK Rowling. Not me, so don't send the dementors after me! Lol j/k. Enjoy and review!**

**~First Year Jitters~**

* * *

***The Hogwarts Express***

11 year-old Hermione Granger was nervous, very nervous. Being muggle-born she was afraid, that even though she'd studied everything she knew on the wizarding world, she still wouldn't be accepted or make any friends.

"Have fun 'Mione!" her Muggle parents shouted as she ran through the wall between platforms 9 and 10. On the other side were atleast a hundred other kids, dressed in regular clothing-which shocked her. They also had large trunks with owl cages or other pets like cats, and several had their wands out.

Hermione glanced up at the clock, she had to board the train soon. Then a thought occurred to her; who would she sit with on the train? She'd never been shy and she enjoyed talking to lots of different people...but she felt out of place here. Most of these children had grown up in the wizarding world, while she had not.

_Tick tock click _The clock chimed 10:58, it was time to board The Hogwarts Express. Hermione rushed up to the large, magical train to try and find a compartment to sit in. No matter her feelings, she was determined to fit in, it's not like anyone _knew _she was muggle-born.

Suddenly she spotted a compartment with two girls and plenty of room. "Excuse me?" she cleared her throat softly. The girls looked up at her, one had long red hair and dark brown eyes, the other had blonde pigtails and sweet amber eyes, both of them looked nervous and shy. "Hello," the one with pigtails spoke first.

"Could I sit here?" Hermione asked.

"Sure," the redhead spoke next, the blonde just nodded eagerly with a smile. Hermione smiled happily and sat across from the two girls. "I'm Hermione Granger," she introduced herself.

"Nice to meet you Hermione, I'm Hannah Abbott," the blonde girl extended her hand for Hermione to shake, she did.

"Hi, I'm Susan Bones," the red haired girl spoke softly, obviously the shyer of the two.

Hermione smiled "So, what houses do you think you'll be sorted into? I'll probably get Ravenclaw, but I really hope I'm in Gryffindor instead," she said.

Hannah thought for a minute "Probably Hufflepuff, I'm a half-blood, my dad went to Hogwarts and was in Hufflepuff, so was my mum she was muggle-born and a year behind him."

"My family's been in Hufflepuff for centuries, so I'll probably be sorted there too," Susan said quietly.

Hermione smiled again "I guess I wouldn't mind Hufflepuff too much, they're known for loyalty right-and their symbol is the badger?" Both girls nodded excitedly, clearly they were really hoping to be sorted there.

Suddenly a tall blonde haired boy entered the compartment "Hey guys, I found a different compartment, so I'll just see you when we get there, especially you Hannah," he said with a wink before leaving.

Hannah rolled her eyes towards Susan, then turned to a very confused Hermione "That's Ernie MacMillan, a friend of ours, and he has a giant crush on me...but personally I find him quite arrogant and he's definitely not my type, he's too verbose...not like I'm looking for a boyfriend at eleven, but if I was, it definitely wouldn't be Ernie. We're the best of friends though," she explained.

Susan nodded "He's my type..." she giggled. Hannah rolled her eyes again. "I have a feeling this is going to be a _long _seven years, the MacMillans are also a well known Hufflepuff clan, if we're all in the same house...Merlin's beard this should be fun and also annoying if Ernie keeps hitting on me," she said.

Hermione giggled, and she thought s_he _talked alot, she wondered if Hannah would e_ver _shut up. "Er, excuse me?" came a shy boy's voice. All three girls looked up to see a plump boy with brown hair and worried hazel eyes.

"Now _he's _my type," Hannah whispered to Susan with a giggle of her own. "Do you need a seat? There's plenty of room in here!" she exclaimed a bit too giddily, the boy smiled shyly. "Er, thanks but, I've lost my toad...and I was wondering if you've seen it?" he asked.

Hannah grinned and smoothed her plaid pleated skirt. "No, but We'll help you look!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, er thanks, I'm Neville Longbottom," the boy said.

"Hannah Abbott."

"Hermione Granger."

"I'm Susan Bones."

Hermione suddenly realized that her jitters were nothing compared to this boy's. "Let's split up," she suggested. "I'll check the other side of the train really quick."

They all agreed and Hermione sprinted down to the very end of the train; where she would meet a messy red haired boy named Ron Weasley...and the famous Harry Potter.

* * *

***The Sorting Hat***

"Now when I call your name, you will come forth, I will place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses," Professor McGonagall was saying as she glanced down at a piece of parchment. Hermione was so excited to be at Hogwarts, she knew everything about it and couldn't wait to learn magic.

"Abbott, Hannah!" McGonagall called out.

Hannah's face went even pinker than it already was and Susan slowly pushed her forwards. Hermione was nervous for her own sorting as she watched Hannah nervously sit down on the stool, the poor girl nearly fell off. McGonagall placed the large, old raggy hat atop Hannah's head, it half covered her face.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Sorting Hat shouted. Hannah's face lit up in relief and she skipped over to the Hufflepuff table, who was cheering loudly and whistling.

"Bones, Susan!" McGonagall called.

Hermione turned to look at the shy rehead pushing through the crowd. Susan sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the hat atop her head, it sat there for a moment before saying "I know...HUFFLEPUFF!" Susan's face lit up as well and she ran off the stool to join her best friend. More cheers erupted from the Hufflepuff table.

McGonagall did not hesitate "Boot, Terry!"

Hermione watched as a dark haired boy sat on the stool, the hat was placed on his head. "RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat. Terry Boot made his way over to the clapping Ravenclaw table as McGonagall called the next name.

"Brocklehurst, Amanda!" A girl with light brown hair went up to sit on the stool. "RAVENCLAW!" And Mandy Brocklehurst skipped off to the Ravenclaw table as Terry had. McGonagall looked down at her scroll of names.

"Brown, Lavender!" she called. A shy looking girl with curly light brown hair sat on the stool next. "GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat shouted. Lavender skipped off to the Gryffindor table where Hermione's new friend Ron's twin brothers were catcalling, everyone was cheering excitedly.

"Bullstrode, Millicent!" A chubby girl with short brown hair and a glint of malice in her eyes sat confidently on the stool. "SLYTHERIN!"

"Crabbe, Vincent!" A chubby boy with a mean smirk went up next. "SLYTHERIN!"

Hermione was becoming anxious as she heard Harry and Ron talking and whispering behind her. "Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" A boy with dark hair and a kind smile rushed up to the stool eagerly. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!" McGonagall called. A short sandy haired boy sat on the stool for an entire minute, finally, the hat made it's decision. "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Goyle, Gregory!" McGonagall called out and a tall boy with brown hair walked swiftly up to the stool, grinning maliciously. "SLYTHERIN!"

Suddenly, it was her turn. "Granger, Hermione!" McGonagall called. Hermione's face flushed bright red, as she'd almost missed her name being called. She nervously walked up to the stool "Okay, relax" she told herself. She could have sworn she heard Ron call her mental.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat roared. Hermione grinned and excitedly jumped off the stool to join the Gryffindor table, she heard Ron groaning. She shook hands with some of Ron's brothers, the Weasleys had lots of kids. Percy was a fifth year and a prefect, and the twins Fred and George were third years notorious for their pranks. After being welcomed to her house, she looked up to see who was to be sorted next.

"Longbottom, Neville!" The chubby boy, who'd found his toad with the assistance of Hannah Abbott (she'd pointed it out to him that it was by McGonagall's feet on the front steps), made his way nervously up on the stool.

The hat seemed to enjoy teasing this boy, finally it made a decision. "GRYFFINDOR!" Neville ran off the stool, still wearing the hat, as McGonagall called "MacDougal, Morag!"

"Mister Longbottom!" McGonagall shouted. Neville rushed back up and handed the Sorting Hat back, blushing as the Great Hall erupted in laughter. Hermione pitied him, the subject of ridicule already. She noted that Hannah Abbott looked disappointed as Neville sat down at the Gryffindor table.

Next up was "MacMillan, Ernest!" _Where does that name sound familiar? _She wondered, then remembered what the blonde girl Hannah Abbott said on the train. She watched curiously as the blonde boy sat on the stool, compared to the rest, he seemed quite calm. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Hermione's eyes shot over to the Hufflepuff table, she swore she saw Hannah roll her eyes. Ernie ran over and sat next to his friends at the table, Susan was goggling over him while her flirted with Hannah-to both girls' annoyance.

"Malfoy, Draco!" McGonagall's voice held no emotion. The rich bully with slick silvery blonde hair walked arrogantly up to the stool, the hat barely touched his head before shouting "SLYTHERIN!" He ran off the stool to join his goonies Crabbe and Goyle.

Only a few more people were left. "Nott, Theodore!" "SLYTHERIN!" Then, "Perks, Sally Anne!"

"Parkinson, Pansy" went to Slytherin while the Patil twins went to Gryffindor. "Thomas, Dean" also went to Gryffindor.

Now it was the turn every student had been waiting for, the famous Harry Potter. "Potter, Harry!" Hermione watched with great interest as The Boy Who Lived made his way up front, the hat fell over his eyes. All eyes were on Harry.

"Not Slytherin eh?" the hat spoke aloud. "You could be great you know..." Harry appeared to be pleading with the hat under his breath. Hermione could swear she was hearing him whisper "Not Slytherin, anything but Slytherin..." under his breath.

"Well if you're sure, better be...GRYFFINDOR!" Harry Potter's eyes lit up in delight as he rushed over to their table. Hermione greeted him and he shook hands with Ron's brothers

McGonagall was getting to the end of her list. "Turpin, Lisa!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Now it was Ron's turn. "Weasley, Ronald!" Ron sat up on the stool, that completely covered his eyes, and gulped nervously. "Ah! Another Weasley!" the hat spoke, making Ron jump with an "Ah!"

"I know just what to do with you, GRYFFINDOR!" Ron's face relaxed into a smile as he rushed over to join his best friend and siblings. Hermione was a bit put out that he didn't even say hello to her.

"Zabini, Blaise!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Finally the Sorting Ceremony was over and Dumbledore stood up, smiling widely. "LET THE FEAST...BEGIN!" He clapped his hands and all the house tables filled with platters of food, desserts, and goblets of pumpkin juice. By now, Hermione's jitters were completely gone. She knew she'd make friends quickly in Gryffindor, especially with Harry and Ron.


End file.
